Principles of Passage Planning
Understanding the Principles of Passage Planning
Shipping cargo from one port to another involves coordinated working
of several operations of both land and ship staff. One of the most
integral parts of a shipping operations is the cargo or voyage planning,
which is mainly undertaken by a navigational officer of a ship.
A passage plan is a comprehensive, berth to berth guide, developed and used by a vessel’s bridge team to determine the most favourable route, to identify potential problems or hazards along the route, and to adopt Bridge Management Practices to ensure the vessel’s safe passage. SOLAS Chapter 5, Annexes 24 & 25 titled “Voyage Planning” and “Guidelines for voyage planning” respectively, give specific regulatory information with regard to the passage plan.
A passage plan is a comprehensive, berth to berth guide, developed and used by a vessel’s bridge team to determine the most favourable route, to identify potential problems or hazards along the route, and to adopt Bridge Management Practices to ensure the vessel’s safe passage. SOLAS Chapter 5, Annexes 24 & 25 titled “Voyage Planning” and “Guidelines for voyage planning” respectively, give specific regulatory information with regard to the passage plan.
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RESOLUTION A.893(21) adopted on 25
November 1999
Guidelines For Voyage Planning THE ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING
Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and
guidelines concerning maritime safety and the prevention and control of
marine pollution from ships,
RECALLING ALSO section A-VIII/2, Part 2 (Voyage planning) of the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code, RECALLING FURTHER the essential requirements contained in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea concerning voyage planning, including those relating to officers and crew, shipborne equipment, and safety management systems, RECOGNIZING the essential importance for safety of life at sea, safety of navigation and protection of the marine environment of a well planned voyage, and therefore the need to update the 1978 Guidance on voyage planning issued as SN/Circ.92, NOTING the request of the Assembly in resolution A.790(19) that the Maritime Safety Committee consider the issue of voyage planning in conjunction with its review of the Code for the Safe Carriage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes in Flasks on Board Ships (INF Code), and the Committee's decision that consideration of the issue of voyage planning should not be restricted to vessels carrying materials subject to the INF Code but should apply to all ships engaged on international voyages, HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation at its forty-fifth session:
1.)
ADOPTS the Guidelines for voyage planning set out in
the Annex to the present resolution;
2.)
INVITES Governments to bring the annexed Guidelines
to the attention of masters of vessels flying their countries' flag, shipowners,
ship operators, shipping companies, maritime pilots, training institutions
and all other parties concerned, for information and action as appropriate;
3.)
REQUESTS the Maritime Safety Committee to keep the said Guidelines under
review and to amend them as appropriate.
ANNEX
Draft Guidelines For Voyage Planning
1.)
Objectives
1.1)
The development of a plan for voyage or passage, as well as the close and
continuous monitoring of the vessel's progress and position during the
execution of such a plan, are of essential importance for safety of life at
sea, safety and efficiency of navigation and protection of the marine environment.
1.2)
The need for voyage and passage planning applies to all vessels. There are
several factors that may impede the safe navigation of all vessels and
additional factors that may impede the navigation of large vessels or vessels
carrying hazardous cargoes. These factors will need to be taken into account
in the preparation of the plan and in the subsequent monitoring of the
execution of the plan.
1.3)
Voyage and passage planning includes appraisal, i.e. gathering all
information relevant to the contemplated voyage or passage; detailed planning
of the whole voyage or passage from berth to berth, including those areas
necessitating the presence of a pilot; execution of the plan; and the
monitoring of the progress of the vessel in the implementation of the plan.
These components of voyage/passage planning are analysed below.
2.)
Appraisal
2.1)
All information relevant to the contemplated voyage or passage should be
considered. The following items should be taken into account in voyage and
passage planning:
2.1.1) the
condition and state of the vessel, its stability, and its equipment; any
operational limitations; its permissible draught at sea in fairways and in
ports; its manoeuvring data, including any restrictions;
2.1.2)
any special characteristics of the cargo (especially if hazardous), and its
distribution, stowage and securing on board the vessel;
2.1.3) the
provision of a competent and well-rested crew to undertake the voyage or
passage;
2.1.4)
requirements for up-to-date certificates and documents concerning the vessel,
its equipment, crew, passengers or cargo;
2.1.5) appropriate
scale, accurate and up-to-date charts to be used for the intended voyage or
passage, as well as any relevant permanent or temporary notices to mariners
and existing radio navigational warnings;
2.1.6)
accurate and up-to-date sailing directions, lists of lights and lists of
radio aids to navigation; and
2.1.7)
any relevant up-to-date additional information, including:
2.1.7.1)
mariners' routeing guides and passage planning charts, published by competent
authorities;
2.1.7.2) current
and tidal atlases and tide tables;
2.1.7.3) climatological,
hydrographical, and oceanographic data as well as other appropriate
meteorological information;
2.1.7.4) availability
of services for weather routeing (such as that contained in Volume D of the
World Meteorological Organization's Publication No. 9);
2.1.7.5) existing
ships' routeing and reporting systems, vessel traffic services, and marine
environmental protection measures;
2.1.7.6) volume
of traffic likely to be encountered throughout the voyage or passage;
2.1.7.7) if
a pilot is to be used, information relating to pilotage and embarkation and
disembarkation including the exchange of information between master and
pilot;
2.1.7.8) available
port information, including information pertaining to the availability of
shore-based emergency response arrangements and equipment; and
2.1.7.9) any
additional items pertinent to the type of the vessel or its cargo, the
particular areas the vessel will traverse, and the type of voyage or passage
to be undertaken.
2.2)
On the basis of the above information, an overall appraisal of the intended
voyage or passage should be made. This appraisal should provide a clear
indication of all areas of danger; those areas where it will be possible to
navigate safely, including any existing routeing or reporting systems and
vessel traffic services; and any areas where marine environmental protection
considerations apply.
3.)
Planning
3.1) On
the basis of the fullest possible appraisal, a detailed voyage or passage
plan should be prepared which should cover the entire voyage or passage from
berth to berth, including those areas where the services of a pilot will be
used.
3.2)
The detailed voyage or passage plan should include the following factors:
3.2.1) the
plotting of the intended route or track of the voyage or passage on
appropriate scale charts: the true direction of the planned route or track
should be indicated, as well as all areas of danger, existing ships' routeing
and reporting systems, vessel traffic services, and any areas where marine
environmental protection considerations apply;
3.2.2)
the main elements to ensure safety of life at sea, safety and efficiency of
navigation, and protection of the marine environment during the intended
voyage or passage; such elements should include, but not be limited to:
3.2.2.1) safe
speed, having regard to the proximity of navigational hazards along the
intended route or track, the manoeuvring characteristics of the vessel and
its draught in relation to the available water depth;
3.2.2.2) necessary
speed alterations en route, e.g., where there may be limitations because of
night passage, tidal restrictions, or allowance for the increase of draught
due to squat and heel effect when turning;
3.2.2.3) minimum
clearance required under the keel in critical areas with restricted water
depth;
3.2.2.4) positions
where a change in machinery status is required;
3.2.2.5) course
alteration points, taking into account the vessel's turning circle at the
planned speed and any expected effect of tidal streams and currents;
3.2.2.6) the
method and frequency of position fixing, including primary and secondary
options, and the indication of areas where accuracy of position fixing is
critical and where maximum reliability must be obtained;
3.2.2.7) use
of ships' routeing and reporting systems and vessel traffic services;
3.2.2.8) considerations
relating to the protection of the marine environment; and
3.2.2.9)
contingency plans for alternative action to place the vessel in deep water or
proceed to a port of refuge or safe anchorage in the event of any emergency
necessitating abandonment of the plan, taking into account existing
shore-based emergency response arrangements and equipment and the nature of
the cargo and of the emergency itself.
3.3) The
details of the voyage or passage plan should be clearly marked and recorded,
as appropriate, on charts and in a voyage plan notebook or computer disk.
3.4) Each
voyage or passage plan as well as the details of the plan, should be approved
by the ships' master prior to the commencement of the voyage or passage.
4.)
Execution
4.1) Having
finalized the voyage or passage plan, as soon as time of departure and
estimated time of arrival can be determined with reasonable accuracy, the
voyage or passage should be executed in accordance with the plan or any
changes made thereto.
4.2) Factors
which should be taken into account when executing the plan, or deciding on
any departure therefrom include:
4.2.1) the
reliability and condition of the vessel's navigational equipment;
4.2.2) estimated
times of arrival at critical points for tide heights and flow;
4.2.3) meteorological
conditions, (particularly in areas known to be affected by frequent periods
of low visibility) as well as weather routeing information;
4.2.4) daytime
versus night-time passing of danger points, and any effect this may have on
position fixing accuracy; and
4.2.5) traffic
conditions, especially at navigational focal points.
4.3) It
is important for the master to consider whether any particular circumstance,
such as the forecast of restricted visibility in an area where position
fixing by visual means at a critical point is an essential feature of the
voyage or passage plan, introduces an unacceptable hazard to the safe conduct
of the passage; and thus whether that section of the passage should be attempted
under the conditions prevailing or likely to prevail. The master should also
consider at which specific points of the voyage or passage there may be a
need to utilize additional deck or engine room personnel.
5.)
Monitoring
5.1) The
plan should be available at all times on the bridge to allow officers of the
navigational watch immediate access and reference to the details of the plan.
5.2) The
progress of the vessel in accordance with the voyage and passage plan should
be closely and continuously monitored. Any changes made to the plan should be
made consistent with these Guidelines and clearly marked and recorded.
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The
Annex to IMO Resolution A.893(21) (See ANNEX 25),
“Guidelines for Voyage Planning”, should be followed on all vessels. The key
elements of the Voyage Plan are:
Appraising
all relevant information
Planning the intended voyage Executing the plan taking account of prevailing conditions Monitoring the vessel’s progress against the plan continuously
These
notes should be read in conjunction with the IMO Guidelines for Voyage
Planning.
1.)
General
Investigations show that human error contributes to 80% of navigational accidents and that in many cases essential information that could have prevented the accident was available to but not used by those responsible for the navigation of the vessels concerned. Most accidents happen because of simple mistakes in use of navigational equipment and interpretation of the available information, rather than because of any deficiency in basic navigational skills or ability to use equipment. Masters, skippers and watchkeepers should therefore adhere to the IMO Guidelines taking the following measures to ensure that they appreciate and reduce the risks to which they are exposed:
a)
ensure that all the vessel’s navigation is planned
in adequate detail with contingency plans where appropriate;
b)
ensure that there is a systematic bridge organisation that provides for:
i)
comprehensive briefing of all concerned with the
navigation of the vessel;
ii)
close and continuous monitoring of the vessel’s position ensuring as far as
possible that different methods of determining the position are used to check
against error in any one system;
iii)
cross-checking of individual human decisions so that
errors can be detected and corrected as early as possible;
iv)
information available from plots of other traffic is
used carefully to ensure against over-confidence, bearing in mind that other
vessels may alter course and/or speed
c)
ensure that optimum and systematic use is made of
all appropriate information that becomes available to the navigational staff;
and
d)
ensuring that the intentions of a pilot are fully understood and acceptable
to the vessel’s navigational staff.
2.)
Responsibility for Voyage planning
In most deep-sea vessels the master delegates the initial responsibility for preparing the plan for a voyage to the officer responsible for navigational equipment and publications (hereafter referred to as the navigating officer.) On smaller vessels, including fishing vessels, the master or skipper may have the responsibility of the navigating officer for voyage planning purposes. Prior to departure the navigating officer will prepare the detailed voyage plan from berth to berth in accordance with the Guidelines and to the master’s requirements. If the port of destination is not known or is subsequently altered, the navigating officer must extend or amend the original plan as appropriate.
3.)
Principles of Voyage planning
The four stages of Appraisal, Planning, Execution and Monitoring logically follow each other. An appraisal of all information available must be made before detailed plans can be drawn up and a plan must be in existence before tactics for its execution can be decided upon. Once the plan and the manner in which it is to be executed have been decided, monitoring must be carried out to ensure that the plan is followed.
4.)
Appraisal is the process of gathering all information relevant to the
proposed voyage, including ascertaining risks and assessing its critical
areas. The Guidelines list the items that should be taken into account.
An
overall assessment of the intended voyage should be made by the master, in
consultation with the navigating officer and other deck officers who will be
involved, after all relevant information has been gathered. This appraisal
will provide the master and his bridge team with a clear and precise
indication of all areas of danger, and delineate the areas in which it will
be possible to navigate safely taking into account the calculated draught of
the vessel and planned under-keel clearance. Bearing in mind the condition of
the vessel, her equipment and any other circumstances, a balanced judgement
of the margins of safety which must be allowed in the various sections of the
intended voyage can now be made, agreed and understood by all concerned.
Once
a full appraisal has been carried out the navigating officer carries out the Planning
process, acting on the master’s instructions. The detailed plan should
cover the whole voyage, from berth to berth, and include all waters where a
pilot will be on board. The plan should be completed and include all the
relevant factors listed in the Guidelines.
The
appropriate charts should be marked clearly showing all areas of danger and
the intended track taking into account the margins of allowable error. Where
appropriate, due regard should be paid to the need for advanced warning to be
given on one chart of the existence of a navigational hazard immediately on
transfer to the next. The planned track should be plotted to clear hazards at
as safe a distance as circumstances allow. A longer route should always be
accepted in preference to a shorter more hazardous route. The possibility of
main engine or steering gear breakdown at a critical moment must not be
overlooked.
Additional
information which should be marked on the charts include:
If
an electronic chart system is used to assist voyage planning the plan should
also be drawn up on the paper charts. Where official (ENC) vector data is
available an ECDIS provided with fully compliant ENC data for the vessel’s
voyage may be used instead of paper charts. Raster Chart Display Systems
(RCDS) using official and up to date Raster charts can be used in conjunction
with paper charts to assist voyage planning and route monitoring. Hazards
should be marked on the RCDS as well as on the paper chart. Systems that use
unofficial chart data should not be used for voyage planning or navigation.
Depending
on circumstances, the main details of the plan should be marked in
appropriate and prominent places on the charts to be used during the voyage.
They should also be programmed and stored electronically on an ECDIS or RCDS
where fitted. The main details of the voyage plan should also be recorded in
a bridge notebook used specially for this purpose to allow reference to
details of the plan at the conning position without the need to consult the
chart. Supporting information relative to the voyage, such as times of high
and low water, or of sunrise or sunset, should also be recorded in this
notebook.
It
is unlikely that every detail of a voyage will have been anticipated,
particularly in pilotage waters. Much of what will have been planned may have
to be adjusted or changed after embarking the pilot. This in no way detracts
from the real value of the plan, which is to mark out in advance, areas where
the vessel must not go and the appropriate precautions which must be taken,
and to give initial warning that the vessel is standing into danger.
5.)
Execution of the finalised the voyage plan should
be carried out taking into account the factors listed in the Guidelines. The
Master should take into account any special circumstances which may arise,
such as changes in weather, which may require the plan to be reviewed or
altered.
6.)
Monitoring of the vessel’s progress along the
pre-planned track is a continuous process. The officer of the watch, whenever
in any doubt as to the position of the vessel or the manner in which the
voyage is proceeding, should immediately call the master and, if necessary,
take appropriate action for the safety of the vessel.
The
performance of navigational equipment should be checked prior to sailing,
prior to entering restricted or hazardous waters and at regular and frequent
intervals at other times throughout the voyage.
Advantage
should be taken of all the navigational equipment with which the vessel is
fitted for position monitoring, bearing in mind the following points:
a.)
positions obtained by electronic positioning systems
must be checked regularly by visual bearings and transits whenever available;
b.)
visual fixes should, if possible, be based on at least three position lines;
c.)
transit marks, clearing bearings and clearing ranges
(radar) can be of great assistance;
d.)
it is dangerous to rely solely on the output from a
single positioning system;
e.)
the echo sounder provides a valuable check of depth
at the plotted position;
f.)
buoys should not be used for position fixing but may
be used for guidance when shore marks are difficult to distinguish visually;
in these circumstances their positions should first be checked by other
means;
g.)
the charted positions of offshore installations
should be checked against the most recent navigational notices;
h.)
the functioning and correct reading of the instruments
used should be checked;
i.)
account must be taken of any system errors and the
predicted accuracy of positions displayed by electronic position fixing
systems; and
j.)
the frequency at which the position is to be fixed
should be determined for each section of the voyage.
Each
time the vessel’s position is fixed and marked on the chart in use, the
estimated position at a convenient interval of time in advance should be
projected and plotted. With ECDIS or RCDS care should be taken to ensure that
the display shows sufficient “look-ahead” distance and that the next chart
can be readily accessed.
Radar
can be used to advantage in monitoring the position of the vessel by the use
of parallel indexing, which is a simple and most effective way of
continuously monitoring that a vessel is maintaining its track in restricted
coastal waters. Parallel indexing can be used in any situation where a
radar-conspicuous navigation mark is available and it is practicable to
monitor continuously the vessel’s position relative to such an object. It
also serves as a valuable check on the vessel’s progress when using an
electronic chart.
7.)
Pilotage
The Plan covers the voyage from berth to berth and therefore includes the Pilotage stage. The IMO Guidelines do not give specific advice on this important stage therefore the following notes should be taken into consideration when planning and executing the pilotage stages. Pilots make a significant contribution to the safety of navigation in the confined waters and port approaches of which they have up to date knowledge, but it must be stressed that the responsibilities of the vessel’s navigational team and the officer of the watch do not transfer to the pilot. After boarding the vessel, in addition to being advised by the master of the manoeuvring characteristics and basic details of the vessel for its present condition, the pilot should be clearly consulted on the voyage plan to be followed. The general aim of the master should be to ensure that the expertise of the pilot is fully supported by the vessel’s bridge team. Attention is drawn to the following extract from IMO Resolution A.285 (VIII): “Despite the duties and obligations of a pilot, his presence on board does not relieve the officer of the watch from his duties and obligation for the safety of the vessel. He should co-operate closely with the pilot and maintain an accurate check on the vessel’s position and movements. If he is in any doubt as to the pilot’s actions or intentions, he should seek clarification from the pilot and if doubt still exists he should notify the master immediately and take whatever action is necessary before the master arrives.”
8.)
Weather Routeing Services
Regulation 34.2.3 specifies “adverse weather conditions” as one of the principal considerations that should be used by masters when formulating the voyage plan. Weather Routeing Services are available to mariners but they are largely unregulated and in some cases operate as an enhancement for commercial expedience rather than directly as a safety precaution. Safer use of Weather Routeing Services can be achieved by increased dialogue between ship’s masters and their weather routeing service providers and through a continuous review of the information that is provided by them. MSC/Circ.1063 itemises the minimum standards that should be adhered to for the provision of Weather Routeing Services.
9.)
Small vessels and pleasure craft
Regulation 34 applies to all vessels but the degree of voyage planning may sensibly be less for small vessels and pleasure craft. There is still a need for prior planning but the plan need not be written down. The following should particularly be taken into account when planning a boating trip:
Although
Regulation 34 only applies when proceeding to sea, small craft users should
adhere to the voyage planning principles when also sailing in categorised
waters.
10.
Other publications
In
addition to the IMO Guidelines mariners are also referred to the following
publications which contain valuable advice on bridge watchkeeping in general
and voyage planning in particular:
“Bridge Team Management - A practical guide” published by the Nautical Institute and “Bridge Procedures Guide” published by the International Chamber of Shipping. |
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